January 13, 2014

By this stage, the nun had me completely and utterly captivated with her non-judgement, understanding, love and supportive wisdom.

“Darling girl. Replace that big Buddha image with God if that is true and good for you. Or with love. Worship love. Chant to love. Just give your words and actions over to a force that is good and pure.”

It was then, with the help of this beautiful Buddhist nun, that I realised that we’re all just trying to align ourselves with a force that is good. A force that is bigger than us, more powerful than us, more knowing and wiser than us, more pure than us as an extension of the karmic forces that have been before us.

A force that is also within us, because we all have Buddha nature, no matter how it is labeled. The Buddhists, in all their loving wisdom, don’t need that force to be called Buddha if it does not feel like the truth.

The next day, I got up and I chanted to love… in Chinese.

Over the rest of my retreat time at Nan Tien temple, I gradually became more aware of the gentle truth that that nun had spoken – that happiness lies within each of us, is as individual as we are all different, and is ultimately really quite simple.

Over the 15 years since then, I’ve read Buddhist texts, listened to the Dalai Lama’s teachings, sat in study groups on occasions to learn more about the four noble truths, the eightfold path, kindness, compassion, the art of meditation and the nature of reality.

When I connect with Buddha’s enlightened teachings, I feel open and lighter and calmer.

These days, 15 years after my conversation with the beautiful nun, I’m not a Buddhist, nor a purist in any school of thought for that matter. I prefer to dip into all people’s views and beliefs and collections of wisdoms so I can pick and choose what feels true and what work best for me at the development stage I am at on my path.

There is so much depth, goodness and wisdom in Buddha’s teachings that can successfully set us free from our own attachments.

Freedom, love and good life abundance for all are some of Soul Sessions core values. That is why we have dedicated a whole Soul Session this Sunday (January 19) to exploring life through Buddha’s eyes at Dharma Express. Here, we will explore through conversation and interviews Buddha’s most practical wisdoms for every day living.